Sheerness RNLI lifeboat called to a craft drifting in the River Medway

Lifeboats News Release

Monday 2 January 2017

The volunteer crew of the Sheerness RNLI inshore lifeboat was called to a vessel adrift in the river at Rochester

Ifer Gwyn

Teenagers in inflatable

The Sheerness RNLI inshore lifeboat ‘Buster’ was launched at 10.59 am on Monday 2 January 2017 after a call from the UK Coastguard reporting that a vessel had been spotted drifting dangerously in Limehouse Reach, Rochester and It had not been possible to establish if there was anybody on the craft.

The lifeboat crew located the vessel at 11.27pm and it was quickly established that the vessel was empty and appeared to have broken free from a mooring somewhere in the area.

A line was attached and the vessel was towed to Sun Pier,Chatham where it was made secure and then handed over to the Medway Coastguard team.

Key facts about the RNLI

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 238 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 240 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.

The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.